Terry Tate and Reebok: Knocking Governor Palin Unconscious (this is funny?)
October 20, 2008 by Sheryl Lee
So let’s see: a video depicting a violent attack on Governor Palin is not only okay and but just hilarious since she’s a public figure and is therefore fair game (asking for it). That’s different from hurting regular women, because violence against women is wrong.
Got it? Fictional violence against Governor Palin is fine, but real violence against regular women is wrong, because one is fiction (ha ha—awesome!), and the other is real (very very bad), and there is absolutely no connection between the two.
Riiiiiiiiiight—and football players never beat up women. Or kill them.
Read on:
“Terry Tate”, a former football player who’s real name is Lester Speight, is a character originally featured in a series of Reebok TV commercials, where he appeared as the “Office Linebacker”, violently tackling people for various work-related infractions.
Lately, he seems to have re-invented himself as a political commentator. In the following YouTube video, he tackles Governor Palin as she converses with Katie Couric. After he hits her, she lies immobile on the ground, apparently unconscious.
Speight uses the same schtick in the anti-Palin ad as he did when he was knocking men over in Reebok ads. In the following ad from that Reebok campaign, Speight (as Tate) calls one of his male victims “bitch,” and threatens another, calling him “woman.” Does Reebok thinks it’s acceptable to degrade men by calling them “bitches” or “women”, as if being a woman is a shameful thing?
In a later Reebok ad, entitled “Sensitivity Training”, a busty, cleavage-flashing blonde forces Lester Speight’s character to suspend his reign as office enforcer, until he catches her making a sexual advance at a male mail clerk. He tackles her to the ground (but not unconscious). Is her sexy appearance indication that she was “asking for it”? Is that the message Reebok is willfully communicating—that it’s okay to assault a woman who presents as a sex object?
Lester Speight has taken the character and story from Reebok’s ad campaign and used it to depict a violent physical assault on Governor Palin. There is no appreciable difference between what Speight did for Reebok and what he’s doing now, as the original Reebok ads also depicted violence toward women and misogyny. Reebok needs to step up and take responsibility for this.
What you can do:
1) Let Reebok know that we expect a public statement disavowing their relationship to Lester Speight, and that you will boycott their products until they tell Speight to cease and desist (contact Daniel Sarro, Reebok Public Relations, at 781-401-5000 or email him at daniel.sarro@reebok.com/);
2) Start an email chain: Circulate these videos to your list of contacts and ask them to take these actions, too;
3) Contact Senator Biden’s office and ask Senator Biden to denounce this violent anti-Palin ad. With his background in domestic violence legislation, Senator Biden ought to be eager to speak out against this deplorable video. Senator Biden’s contact information – (202) 224-5042, or email him from his website: http://biden.senate.gov/services/contact/.
The following quotes are taken from the first ad in the series, “Terry’s World.” In each case, the speaker is Terry Tate addressing a man.
Coz Triple T’s up in this biiiitch!Break was over 15 minutes ago, bitch!
Get ready for the pain woman. The pain train’s comin’. Woo-woo! Woo-woo!
Any bitch-ass think I’da lost a step, ’cause of what happened?
The subsequent Reebok ads dropped the homophobic/misogynist terms from the script, probably due to complaints by the public.
Readers:
If anyone can help us find out who produced this brutal video, please let us know. Suggestions welcome!
Having domestic violence shelter staff making these contacts would be good too I think, the shelters are filled with women slammed by men. I will never buy a pair of Reebok s that’s for sure, not after this. More men need to get on board too. Domestic terrorism at its worst, where are the homeland security forces when needed most?
P.S: I’m waiting for our NOW friends (current and ex) to explain to us why Gov. Palin deserves this. I know, I know – it’s the issues.
Yes, let’s see if we hear a peep from NOW…. I won’t hold my breath.
Also, I suggest contacting CBS; as it may retain some control over the commercial use of its footage. I put the contact info and a sample note on my site.
Thanks for all you do at The New Agenda!
What is your site dcattorney? Can you link to us?
http://www.dcattorney.wordpress.com. Already linked to you a while back…
Amy and Dawn, awesome!!! Thank you.
I, too, want to know who is behind this new SERIES. Please, if you can, update to inform people it’s a new series. Who knows how many of these will surface. So far, two.
Here’s the other one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....Y&eurl
The “hits” just keep on coming with the sexism and Palin. The fact that networks and media have permission to show and print all of this is truly upsetting. What sorts of minds dreamed this Terry Tate concept up? I wrote the addresses given, and I appreciate your posting them.
I am distressed as it seems that there is a war starting between TNA and NOW
I feel that women may be fighting the wrong enemy
This is one of the most violent scenes I have ever seen against a political candidate. People should be outraged. Who do we complain to? This guy is out of control and whomever is producing these ads is a sick person.
Bite, I don’t think so, at all. What’s wrong with supporting both? Its not a matter of choosing sides. But if NOW has a monopoly as the sole organization for women, we have a big problem.
I’ m a former member of NOW. I’ve not joined TNA (yet) but it’s pretty clear to me we need something more on the edge, more in your face, especially with TNA’s stated focus. Think about what we’ve seen just this year – the overt, vile sexism just in the mainstream media.
I won’t say I was not terribly disappointed with NOW’s endorsement of Sen. Obama, considering what I feel was the blatant sexism of both the DNC and his campaign, along with the fact that there are women on other national tickets. In my opinion, NOW has become an ineffectual arm of the Dem party. That doesn’t mean it cannot rise up again (it’s done it before). But a lot of women do not feel represented by or invested in NOW right now.
(I know this is off topic – sorry!)
Thanks for your concern. There is not a “war” but a discourse.
The blatant sexism that is occurring in the presidential race (and lack of response from women’s groups) is illustrative of the differences in approach.
I suppose there is a wish/hope/desire that by pointing out what is going on and making folks conscious of it, that change could occur and other groups could recreate themselves to change with what is called for in our times. It takes a whole lot of groups speaking out together to change this culture for our daughters’ generation.
I alluded to domestic terrorism in my first post and this Tate thing reminds me of and is analogous to the beheading videos Islamic Jihadists were/are so fond of disseminating – intentional, organized dissemination of ritualized violence directed at specific victims for the purpose of suppression and control. The only thing missing from the Tate video is him getting on top of her and raping her or killing her, as often happens in domestic violence incidents here on the homefront. Tina really needs to expand her repitoire and allow herself to be beaten bloody with say a baseball bat. That would show the evil, pro-choice republican cunts how wrong they are! The women endorsing this are every bit as sick as male perpetrators who batter women. Clearly, you progressive women have a 2 front situation on your hands and I am a bit ashamed that more decent men are not joining up.
Another sadistic anti-Palin Tate video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-NKZbBHQ7A
In both videos Tate makes a point of showing a figure supposed to be Palin lying on the ground in pain. It’s sadistic.
“Having domestic violence shelter staff making these contacts would be good too I think, the shelters are filled with women slammed by men.”
I work in a women’s shelter and trust me, I’ll be contacting Reebok today to find out who is putting out these videos.
Then I’ll be contacting the Obama campaign to ask them to make a statement about this sort of thing, and to say that I am protesting vigorously their choice to putting Chris Matthews on the Obama plane as press.
It’s rewarding Matthews for his vile so called reporting during the primary. He was demoted for GOOD reason, and Obama in a sense rescued him, yes, Poooooor little misogynist, let’s give him a “new” job right next to daddy Obama.
What’s next for Obama? Shutting down women’s organizations he can’t buy off? I do not trust this man at all.
These videos are fodder for abusers. NONE of these people understand the real life consequences this stuff has. I can picture the women who are sitting in their homes while their abusers watch this vile crap and laugh at it. It happens every day. And the media cheers it on from the sidelines, and encourages it.
Lots to do today.
I spoke with Daniel Sarro at Reebok just now. He said that they are not behind the video, and they have no control over the material as they no longer retain the rights to the material. He thinks the “Terry Tate” fellow is acting on his own.
He thinks that if the company makes a statement that would just add to the publicity for this fellow. I told him I thought Reebok should prepare a statement about it anyway since I would not be surprised if one of the campaigns (McCain?) picked this up and make an issue of it.
He seemed like a nice fellow; said he had gotten a lot of calls and has had to make a lot of calls today.
lol! dcattorney, I just heard from him, too!
He explained the same thing to me and said the ad agency that created the character is Arnell Group from NYC. I put in a call to their intellectual property contact, Jack Ader, but it’s late and he’s not in.
Thanks to all of you for the hard work in tracking this down. I will never buy Reebok if it is ultimately determined that Reebok has a hand in this.
p.s., I have two young kids and years of buying shoes ahead of me!
If anyone googled “Terry Tate Palin” today you will see loads of blogs cheering on Tate (and few speaking out against this).
I think we should all send an email chain to our friends and have them take similar actions. Reebok is owned by Adidas – #1 or #2 worldwide in athletic gear. IF and WHEN Reebok decides to speak out against this guy and end the video, they will find a way. Right now they are playing rope the dope with us until we give up.
Good idea to presure Reebok Amy, but lets not lose focus of the harsh reality that this is what America would be like for women in an Obama Nation. In Obama’s interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he spoke of the genious of rapper JAZZEE! (Sorry I really don’t know how this “musician” spells his name. ) The problem with that is that this very popular rapper is another hugh offender of women and all decent treatment of them. His lyrics are vulgar and demeaning to women. Is Barak Obama the kind of Philistine we want in the White House? At least Sarah Palin can play the flute. But even that was a target for ridicule by SNL’s Tina Fey.
Arnell Group made the spots with Terry Tate and Reebok bought one of them for one Superbowl season.
I spoke with Miriam Franklin of Arnell today and she about snapped my head off demanding to know whether I was from the “Palin campaign” before she gave any info about her client who created and owns the Terry Tate character.
I have asked him to respond and am waiting.
I still think Reebok needs to put out a disclaimer that they have nothing to do with this new ad campaign.
The Pain Train does not discriminate baby. He’s about keepin the rules, he does not hate. You break the rules you feel the pain baby. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
“Is her sexy appearance indication that she was “asking for it”?”
He tackled her because she was sexually assaulting the poor guy.
I am an Obama supporter, and I loved the old Terry Tate commercials, and I loathe the fraud that is being sold on us that the Governor of Alaska could be the president if needed…. but.
This is not funny. I understand satire, but if you made a video of a white dude taking Barack out, it would be investigated by the FBI. Whoever made this, you’re not helping.
Come on! I love Terry Tate but this is pretty bad. In no way should a incumbent for VP be depicted like that, man or woman. But let’s face the facts…… CBS is a disgusting liberal organization that is probably loving this and won’t put up a big stink about a Republican being hurt (real or fake).
Did anyone see the photo of the West Hollywood residents who decided that their Halloween decor would include an effigy of Sarah Palin hanging from a noose?
Can you only imagine if someone had decided to hang an Obama in this manner?
It is truly frightening that this display is acceptable to some because they disagree with the woman’s politics. Is that all it takes to make a woman “deserve it” now? We are going BACKWARDS, folks. Our pushback must be LOUD and INSTANT.
Please resolve to speak out when you hear a snide crack or hostile remark – we must let the people in our lives know that this is unacceptable….
Maura,
Yes we did see it and I will be writing something later today.